Baseball umpiring system

ABSTRACT

A T.V camera in center field beyond the playing field directed at the home plate along a main axis. The camera senses the baseball in the strike zone. A second T.V. camera directed at the home plate in direction perpendicular to the main axis, which also senses the baseball in the strike zone, but in an area between the front end limits of the home plate. The two T.V. cameras are connected in series and serve to control the scoreboard and show on the scoreboard when the baseball in its passage by the strike zone constitutes a strike.

[0001] This is a continuation-in-part of my prior and presently pending application Ser. No. 09/665,003, filed Sep. 19, 2000.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0002] The invention resides in the field of umpiring in baseball, and particularly the use of electronic detection of pitched balls in the strike zone.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0003] As is well known, in baseball games, there are many arguments about whether a pitched ball is a strike or a ball, and in those cases the resulting decision is a judgment call, which many times leaves bad feelings among the persons involved and among the fans. A main object of the invention therefore is to provide electronic means for sensing the movement of the pitched balls over the home plate, to determine whether a pitch is a strike or a ball.

[0004] Another object is to register the strikes on the score board, in response to sensing the baseball at the home plate, without the requirement for any further manual manipulation.

[0005] A further object is to eliminate the need for the presence of an umpire at the home place.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INDIVIDUAL FIGURES OF THE DRAWINGS

[0006]FIG. 1 is a plan view of a baseball field, with certain parts in exaggerated dimensions.

[0007]FIG. 2 is a diagrammatic view oriented according to the arrow 2 at the upper right corner of FIG. 1.

[0008]FIG. 3 is a diagrammatic view oriented according to the line 3-3 of FIG. 2.

[0009]FIG. 4 is a diagrammatic view looking down on the home plate and showing a curve ball missing the strike zone.

[0010]FIG. 5 is a diagrammatic view showing a baseball in the strike zone, from two different angles.

[0011]FIG. 6 shows a manual switch for indicating a ball.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0012]FIG. 1 is a semi-diagrammatic plan view of a baseball field. Various details are omitted, for the sake of simplicity, but because of the general knowledge of baseball, by the public, it is believed unnecessary to refer to all details.

[0013] As used herein, the word system includes apparatus, method, and functions of the apparatus and the components thereof.

[0014] The baseball field is indicated at 10 and includes the diamond 12, the infield 14, and the outfield 16. A baseball appears at 17, a fence at 18 defines the outer limits of the outfield, and outwardly beyond the outfield are the seats 20. Score boards 22 are shown diagrammatically and these are so located that all of the spectators have a view of at least one of them, if not both.

[0015] On the diamond 12 are the home plate 24, and the first, second, and third bases 26, and the pitcher's mound 29. A stand 28 is positioned behind the catcher, for holding a supply of extra baseballs for individual accessibility to the catcher. It is pointed out that there is no need for an umpire at the home plate.

[0016] T.V. camera units 30 and 31 are included in FIG. 1, a first unit 30 being located in the center field structure, and a second unit 31 being located in the right field stands. These units are shown diagrammatically, and each includes a mechanical structure and a camera therein, the cameras being identified 30′, 31′ respectively. The first unit 30 is positioned for the camera 30′ therein to view along a diagonal line 32 forming a main axis, extending from center field, through the second base, the pitchers mound, and the strike zone over the home plate identified below.

[0017] The second camera 31′ in the unit 31 is arranged for viewing along a line 34, forming a secondary axis, transverse, and preferably perpendicular, to the main axis or diagonal line 32. This secondary axis 34 also passes through the strike zone over the home plate.

[0018] The T.V. camera units 30 and 31 are known items that are presently on the market. They are generally included in surveillance equipment and used for example for viewing an area to determine whether an article or person occurs or appears in that area, in the scope of the unit.

[0019] Such units are also known as motion detectors in surveillance equipment and upon the appearance of a person or object in the area concerned, produce a signal, most often an electrical signal, for turning on a light constituting a message to the observing personnel. Such an electrical signal is well adapted to the system of the present invention, where a light is utilized in the scoreboard, and that may be the same signal, or it might be relayed to a subsequent signal that is reproduced in the scoreboard. In any case, while an electrical signal is a preferred form of signal, the invention is not limited to that kind of signal.

[0020] Such units have certain internal and innate attributes to sense an article or item occurring in the scope of the unit, that is of a certain shape, and when such an article is so sensed, a signal is produced in the unit that is utilized for in turn producing a certain function, such as turning on a switch, or turning it off. In the present case, such a switch is turned on, which controls the turning on of a light in the scoreboard, to indicate a strike.

[0021] The strike zone referred to is established above the home plate within the area surrounded by the vertical planes containing the edges of the home plate, and between the knees and the chest of the batter, and extending horizontally through the length of the home plate along the line 32.

[0022]FIG. 2 is a view taken in the direction of the arrow 2 at the upper right hand corner of FIG. 1, and showing a right-handed batter 35. The strike zone is indicated at 36 and as here shown, is in the shape of a rectangle, of which the center is indicated at 38. The representation 36 is a vertical plane suspended above the ground and extending transverse to the main axis 32. The strike zone extends vertically through a range between a lower edge 39 and an upper edge 41. The lower edge is at knee height as indicated by the line 43 which is an extension of the line 39, extending to the knees of the batter. The upper edge of the strike zone is determined by the line 46 which, as projected by the line 47, extends to the chest of the batter.

[0023] The lines 49, 50 determine the side edges of the strike zone, these lines lying in vertical planes that contain the side edges 51 of the home plate 24, the latter being shown in FIG. 2 in horizontal position.

[0024]FIG. 3 is a view taken from the left of FIG. 2, resulting from its being taken along the transverse axis or line 34 of FIG. 1. In FIG. 3 the home plate 24 is shown on, or in, the ground 52 and its front and rear edges are indicated at 53, 54.

[0025] In further description of the strike zone 36 (FIG. 3), it includes vertical lines 56, 57 representing the front and rear ends. The strike zone is of course of the same height as that described in connection with FIG. 2, but is of the length of the plate, i.e. along the main axis 32, and thus of greater length than width.

[0026] In considering the limits or boundaries of the strike zone, the strike zone is of cubic dimensions or 3-dimensional shape. The strike zone must be vertically within the space between knees and chest of the batter, and in longitudinal and transverse directions within the limits of the home plate. Thus for a pitched ball to be in the strike zone it must be within the limits of that cubic space. On this point consideration is given to a pitched curve ball approaching the home plate, and nearly reaching it but turning away before reaching it, as represented by the space 66 in FIG. 4. The first camera 30′, which is directed along the main axis 32 views the baseball at position 17′ (FIG. 4) and thus registers the ball as passing through the strike zone, represented by the home plate 24. The ball would miss the plate (at 66), and the strike zone, and to avoid inaccuracies that would result from this condition, the second T.V. camera 31′ is provided. This camera is directed along the line 34 (FIG. 1) referred to above, but is directed downwardly also, to show the space 66 throughout the length of the strike zone.

[0027] As a consequence of the three dimensional shape of the strike zone, it is necessary to have a plurality of cameras directed at the strike zone. Moreover, the cameras all are energized simultaneously to include the three directions of the ball relative to the strike zone.

[0028]FIG. 5 includes the TV camera units 30,31 directed at the strike zone as indicated by the axes 32,34, here-shown as arrows. Incorporated in the units 30,31 are switches 70,71 in series in a circuit 73 for controlling the intended signal to the scoreboard. From this circuit (FIG. 5) it will be seen that when the baseball is in the strike zone, both cameras 30″, 31″ will transmit signals and form a single, final signal transmitted to the scoreboard.

[0029] Thus because of the 3-dimensional extent of the strike zone, a plurality of cameras are provided. In this case the first camera is directed along the diagonal main axis, and the second camera along the axis 34, and not only is it directed transversely, but also downwardly at such an angle as to scan the strike zone to detect the space 66 between the home plate 24 and the line of movement 68 of the ball.

[0030] While the various presently known motion detectors, such as 30,31 are designed for detecting objects of different shapes, those that detect only balls or spheres will be satisfactory for use in the apparatus of the present invention since only the detection of a baseball is utilized.

[0031] As will be understood, in the case of a pitched ball passing Through the strike zone, a strike will be automatically recorded on the score board but, when it misses the strike zone, a ball is not automatically recorded. Many times in regular games, balls are not indicated by the umpire, but if it is desired to record the balls as well as the strikes, an arrangement such as shown in FIG. 6 may be utilized. In this case, a manual switch 75 leads from an electrical source 76, and separate indicators are are included in the score board for showing balls The arrangement of FIG. 6 may be used in a conventional game, as well, if desired. In this case, a main electrical source 68 is provided having lines 72, 73 with switches 71,72 leading to components 74,75 in parallel, controlling ball and strike signals respectively. The lines continue to the score boards 22, and a common line 77 returns to the source 66.

[0032] In the case of a ball, the operator actuates the switch 71 to provide the ball signal, but in the case of a strike, the signal need not be manually produced.

[0033]FIG. 5 shows the score boards 22 which may be considered as one instrumentality, since they both operated identically and simultaneously. Circuitry 60 includes the score boards and switches 62, 64 arranged in series in the circuit A baseball 17″ is diagrammatically illustrated as being view by both cameras 30′, 31′. The cameras may be considered as remote control units, and when the the baseball is in the renge of either of the cameras, the corresponding switch 62, 64 is closed.

[0034] In the case of a ball, the operator actuates the switch 71 to provide the ball signal, but in the strike, the signal need not be manually produced. 

I claim
 1. A system of umpiring in a baseball game, in a field having a scoreboard, comprising, T.V. means including a camera positioned outwardly beyond the playing field and directed toward the home plate along a main axis, sensing means in the T.V. means for sensing whether a baseball in passing by the home plate passes through a predetermined strike zone, by means controlled by the sensing means for controlling the scoreboard for showing on the scoreboard whether the baseball in so passing by the home plate constitutes a strike or a ball.
 2. A system of umpiring according to claim 1, wherein, the strike zone is positioned over the home plate between vertically spaced heights pre-calculated according to the heights of the knee and the chest respectively of a man.
 3. A system of umpiring according to claim 1, wherein, the strike zone is positioned between vertical planes containing the side edges of the home plate.
 4. A system of umpiring according to claim 1, wherein, the strike zone is positioned between vertical planes containing the extreme limits of the home plate along a line from the pitcher's mound to the home plate.
 5. A system of umpiring according to claim 1, and including, manually actuated means for controlling the scoreboard to show on the scoreboard that a pitched baseball misses the strike zone and constitutes a ball.
 6. A system of umpiring according to claim 5, and including, a receptacle in the region of the home plate for containing baseballs individually accessible to the catcher, and all of the forgoing articles being present in the absence of a home plate umpire.
 7. A method of umpiring a baseball game in a field having a scoreboard comprising the steps, establishing a strike zone over the home plate, of predetermined dimensions and location over the home plate, providing a T.V. camera and utilizing it to sense the volume of the strike zone, and utilizing the sensing of a pitched baseball in the strike zone for indicating on the scoreboard the existence of a pitched baseball constituting a strike.
 8. The method of claim 7 and including the step, manually controlling the scoreboard to show that a predetermined pitched baseball constitutes a ball.
 9. The method of claim 7 and including the step, performing the forgoing steps in the absence of an umpire in the region of the home plate.
 10. The method of claim 9 and including the steps, providing a container of baseballs in the region of the home plate, the baseballs being individually accessible to the catcher. 